Discussion

Eating the Big Apple

Just returned from a short trip to New York City.Once again floored by the beer ,wine and food.They can't even make a descent french fry.Momofuku is a head scratcher.Why would you line up and wait for a bowl of "instant noodles" aka ramen?

There are plenty of places that make excellent fries; however, each person's preference is different (shoestring, steak, crinkle, curly, etc) and you may have simply gone to the wrong places. Where did you go? What was wrong with the fries?

It would be helpful if the OP offered more specifics, like where did he or she have bad fries and what was wrong with them? What was the problem with beer and wine? Just in the spirit of offering intel to other users . . .

My reference to french fries wasn't to be taken too seriously but if I must,Katz's,Nathan's,5 Napkin Burger....The distance between real ramen and instant noodles isn't as great as you think but the distance between ramen in Korea and Momofuku is real far.

As a rule I have given up on eating Korean food anywhere but Korea, simply because anywhere else I have had it, including new york, has just been pale compared. Same goes for Thai, but ramen can be found that is good here though I only know of the shops in a Japanese manifestion, not Korean. I am sure there may be some noteworthy places for Korean noodle.

The only ramen place I go to, the only, is one that has been there a long time and Japan owned, called Sapporo 152 49th street. Been there for decades, and in the 1980s before Japanese food became really popular. "Sapporo, though it has all the charm of an office cubicle, serves the best goma (sesame) ramen in the city. "-

Fries? Plenty of places offer fresh cut potato fries. Search. And maybe visit the web before you go dining for good ideas, though your critique may be handy for some.

Ramen actually comes from the Chinese and it is 拉面 la mian. The sound is in Japanese for this is just a japan based phonetic. Similar to Cha 茶 or tea, which is the same in Korea Japan and China though sounding different due to phonetics.

I found the Japanese for 拉面 (la mian) and it is this: ラーメン (phonetics is 'ramen‘）but I can't read it. Often on the Japanse and Korean instant noodles they use Chinese characters for La Mian. Here is an article of japanese with the words la mian 拉面 though with traditional characters： ラーメン(拉麺)ランキング [食べログ] http://r.tabelog.com/ramen/

A friend of mine who lived in Japan goes to this Ramen place on 10th east side. I have been there and the Japanese frequent it. That might mean something, but Sapporo is certainly one that Japanese swear by, at least before. http://nyportraits.blogspot.com/2009/....

Is the E 10th St ramen joint Ippudo or Rai Rai Ken? Ippudo is a Japanese chain. I'm not a superfan of their Hakata [Kyushu island] style. I find the noodles too thin. Friends who've been to Japan tell me Rai Rai Ken feels very like a neighbourhood ramen-ya. It never comes atop NY's best ramen lists, but it's cosy, and their ramen makes for wonderful comfort food. (Warning: I've seen packages of De Cecco pasta there...mmm...)

Sapporo is decent. They are not a real serious ramen endeavor. Misoya in the EV makes the same style, with several regional miso variants. Kuboya also in EV does nice shio and in general good broth. Noodles aren't great there. Totto Ramen does everything decent, Terakawa csn be alright. They do seasonal and regional styles. Ippudo is easily the best. Excellent soups and housemade noodles. But you really have to be into Hakata style. Other shops like Minca and RaiRaiKen I've never been impressed with.

Ramen came to Japan from Chinese immigrant workers in the 19th century and from returning Japanese soldiers from Manchuria. It became popular in post-WWII japan as a cheap source of protein.

I realise I'm in the decided minority, but I rather enjoy Chang's ramen at Momofuku Noodle Bar. The pork is better quality than most ramen joints, and I like the toppings (as a silly Westerner, toppings are something like 30 per cent of my ramen experience). I wish it were $5 cheaper. And that one didn't have to wait half an hour or more to sit on a bench.

To me, a meal of Chang's celebrated pork buns, a bowl of ramen, and some pickles or tomato salad, is nearly an ideal casual dinner.

There is this Japanese noodle bar and restaurant in London. I always pasted by it and never visited because it just looks too trendy. I went in once, and had a meal, due to curiousity. I was not impressed. The one I would pass by is in Bloomsbury and its a Wagamama (http://www.wagamama.com/)

I don't get into these types of places. It is like eating on the second floor of Wholefoods onBowery, or worse, cause the title of the food you're ordering could actually be found prepare better elsewhere, minus the sterility of the atmosphere.